Dreams and Your Heath

What are dreams?

Electrical activity in the brain

A phenomenon that only occurs at night

Something that happens when you're really tired

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Our brains create dreams through random electrical activity. About every 90 minutes, the brain stem sends electrical impulses and the analytic portion of the brain tries to make sense of these signals.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 2 of 20 Correct

True or false: You should ignore most dreams.

TRUE

FALSE

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: This is false. Dreams are not meaningless. In fact, the way our brains choose to "analyze" the random and discontinuous images might tell us something about ourselves.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 3 of 20 Correct

Why are dreams important?

You can learn from them.

They indicate a good night's sleep.

They help relax you.

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: We can learn from our dreams. A dream represents the organization of thoughts and feelings that are collected throughout a day into a particular structure, which you can later access and learn from.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 4 of 20 Correct

What is lucid dreaming?

When you control your dream

When you are beginning to wake up but still dreaming

When you are in a deep sleep

None of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Lucid dreaming is about being able to control your dreams -- where your "dream self" obeys the waking mind's vision.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 5 of 20 Correct

What is a potential benefit of lucid dreaming?

Feeling more rested

Coping with grief

Avoiding nightmares

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Some researchers believe lucid dreams can help people in many ways, including developing creativity and coping with grief.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 6 of 20 Correct

True or false: An out-of-body experience (OBE) is the same as a lucid dream.

TRUE

FALSE

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: This is false. During an OBE, a person can see his or her physical body as if he or she is located somewhere outside it. In OBEs, people think everything is real, whereas in lucid dreams the dreamer knows he or she is dreaming.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 7 of 20 Correct

When do dreams happen?

When you're about to wake up

In the middle of the night

When you're in a very deep sleep

None of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Most dreams happen during the REM (rapid-eye movement) phase of sleep, the stage of sleep when our brains are most like a wakeful state.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 8 of 20 Correct

What happens in REM sleep?

Most emotional dreams

Most memorable dreams

Transfer of information from short-term to long-term memory

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: All of the above. REM sleep -- the deep sleep where the most powerful dreaming occurs -- is also when a person can transfer information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 9 of 20 Correct

How can you produce a lucid dream?

Keep a dream journal

Try to fully remember a dream when you wake

Picture yourself back in the dream

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: All of the above can help you have a lucid dream. The idea is to get into the habit of remembering your dreams and to begin seeing certain rhythms in how you dream. Once you are tuned into your process of dreaming, then you will become a better observer of the dreams you have.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 10 of 20 Correct

What part of the brain is responsible for lucid dreaming?

There's no way to know

The cerebral cortex

The temporal lobe

The medulla

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: It is not yet clear what happens in the brain during lucid dreaming. Some experts speculate that the lateral prefrontal cortex, part of the brain that deals with logic, may be responsible.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 11 of 20 Correct

True or false: Exceptionally vivid dreams happen just before you wake up.

TRUE

FALSE

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: This is true. But it’s possible that you've been dreaming similar themes all night during the four or five phases of REM, and what you remember while waking up could be reflective of the night’s cumulative dream content.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 12 of 20 Correct

How many people suffer from frequent nightmares?

1 in 5

1 in 10

1 in 20

1 in 50

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: About 1 in 20 people suffer from frequent or chronic nightmares, defined as at least once a week.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 13 of 20 Correct

What causes nightmares?

Genetics

Stress

Unemployment

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: All of the above can cause nightmares. Low income can also play a role: in one Chinese study, hose reporting the lowest incomes were 2.3 times more likely to have three or more nightmares a week compared to the more affluent.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 14 of 20 Correct

How can you prevent nightmares?

Sleep with the light on

Don't eat right before going to bed

Write in your journal before going to bed

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Eating just before going to bed revs up the metabolism and increases brain activity, which can cause less-than-ideal dreams. Also, don't watch TV past your bedtime, as a lack of sleep can increase the risk of nightmares.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 15 of 20 Correct

True or false: Daydreaming is good for you.

TRUE

FALSE

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: This is true. By stirring up the part of your brain that handles imagination, you keep your brain running outside of its normal thought process, which helps your cognitive function at the highest levels.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 16 of 20 Correct

True or false: Daydreaming can make you smarter.

TRUE

FALSE

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: This is true. Daydreaming can increase social and emotional intelligence. Through dreams we can release troublesome emotions safely. And in our imagination we can rehearse social interactions, leading to greater intimacy and more mature relationships.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 17 of 20 Correct

Nightmares can lead to which of these health problems?

Depression

Sore throat

Moodiness

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Nightmares can have health consequences such as insomnia, fatigue, headaches, depression and anxiety.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 18 of 20 Correct

What does it mean if you dream about losing your teeth?

It doesn't mean anything.

It's a common sign of stress.

It means you should get your teeth checked.

None of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Dreaming about losing your teeth is one of the more common stress dreams reported in dream literature.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 19 of 20 Correct

True or false: Some kinds of dreams may signal whether you are at risk for Parkinson's disease.

TRUE

FALSE

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: This is true. According to some studies, people who have vivid, violent dreams due to an REM sleep disorder -- compelling them to talk, punch, kick, scream and even jump out of bed -- could have an increased risk of developing Parkinson's. This highly active dreaming can appear up to eight years before the onset of other symptoms of Parkinson’s, giving researchers a chance to help patients before the disease becomes too severe.

Dreams and Your Heath

Question 20 of 20 Correct

What hormone in pregnant women could be affecting the intensity of your dreams?

Cortisol

Oxytocin

Thyroid

All of the above

Correct!Sorry, that’s incorrect.

The correct answer is: Many pregnant women report that their dreams become extremely vivid -- even nightmarish. This vividness may result from their extreme range of emotions, disrupted sleep patterns and the prevalence of the hormone oxytocin.

Dreams and Your Heath

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